Nokia’s Newseum Showcases Latest Nokia Phones!

HMD Global Philippines, the new stewards of the Nokia brand, announced the release of four new Nokia phones.

The show officially started with something extremely familiar for all Filipino mobile-users: the Nokia ringtone. That wave of nostalgia set the mood and readied the audience for what HMD Global Philippines Country Manager Shannon Mead had to say.

According to Mead, HMD Global is committed to continue the story of Nokia through its qualities that we first loved: durability and innovation. These new generation Nokia phones will have the durability and reliability that Nokia is known for.

Nokia 7 Plus: The proto-Flagship

Mead first announced the Nokia 7 Plus (N7+), the model that’s currently headlining the line-up of phones available in the Philippines.

While not entirely the brand’s flagship (the Nokia 8 has that claim), the N7+ has most of the features of a flagship phone without the flagship price tag. Mead delved into the N7+’s camera, which combined Zeiss optical hardware with Google’s imaging algorithms.

The N7+ features a 16MP front cam with Carl Zeiss Optics and a rear dual camera at 12 MP. To maximize the use of these cameras, the N7+ is capable of what Mead dubbed as the “bothie”, which takes a picture with both front and rear cams simultaneously.

The N7+ is has Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform, a whopping 64GB of internal memory, and a 3800 mAh battery. The phone has a nice premium feel in your hands with a gently curved back and slim edges. It also has a six-inch 18:9 FHD+ screen. A lot of screen real-estate for you to watch videos, browse through Facebook, or read Wattpad stuff.

Flagship for Less. The Nokia 7 plus offers a Full HD screen, a dual Zeiss rear camera, a two-day battery life, and other flagship phone features for only PhP 21,990.

The Nokia 7 Plus is available for pre-order at Abenson.com, Argomall, Lazada, and MemoXpress for a price of PhP 21,990. The official release date is on April 27, 2018.

Budget Buddy

Next on the list is the brand’s budget model, the Nokia 1 (N1). Right out of the box, the phone has Android Oreo (Go Edition), which is fully optimized for devices with less than 1GB of RAM. As an entry-level model, it has modest specs: 8GB of internal memory and a 5MP rear + 2MP front camera combo. That said, the N1 doesn’t sacrifice performance for price; it is smooth and responsive with full access most of the Android OS’s key features.

Pauper’s Pure Android. The Nokia 1 is the brand’s budget model, which boasts Android Oreo right out of the box for only PhP 4,290.

Another nifty feature that’s returning from the Nokia phones of yore is the Xpress-On cover. The Nokia 1 will be customizable with Xpress-On covers in a range of colors. These cases come in tough two-tone polycarbonate covers that will withstand some knocks and bumps. And because the N1 has an Xpress-On cover, it also has another feature sorely missed in many a smartphone: the removable battery.

Xpress-On Covers are back! HMD Global Philippines Country Head Shannon Mead demonstrates how to change the Xpress-On Cover on the Nokia 1, the brand’s entry-level model.

This Nokia 1 is available now in Warm Red and Dark Blue and retails for PhP 4,290.

It’s Gonna Be May

Mead also presented two new phones coming out in May 2018: the Nokia 6 (N6) and the Nokia 8110 4G (N81104G).

The Nokia 6 is a mid-range model that’s perfect for the average mobile user. Some of its highlight specs are the Adreno 508 2.2 GHz Octa-core processor, Android Oreo, and 32GB internal memory. It’s also expandable up to 256GB through an SD card slot, which also serves as a second SIM dock.

There was no official announcement on its price, but it’s projected to retail at around half-the price of the N7+.

The other phone coming out in May is the much-anticipated N81104G. The original N8110 gained popularity when it was featured on the 1999 blockbuster film The Matrix. Dubbed as the “Banana-type” phone, the N8110’s most recognizable feature is the retractable keypad cover that doubles as the mouthpiece.

The N81104G retains its iconic form factor but it now has some improved tech inside. It now runs on KaiOS, Nokia’s new OS for its feature phones, and powered by an Adreno 304 2×1.1 GHz dual-core processor. Nokia also didn’t disclose any pricing details, but rumors peg it will be under PhP 6,000.

According to Mead, the success of the Nokia 3310 re-issue inspired this current N81104G re-release.

Except for the N81104G, Mead said that all the Nokia smartphones will be running on Pure Android. Nokia’s intention is to present a user experience with minimal bloat and more of what Google’s mobile OS has to offer.

Planning to get any of these Nokia phones? Tell us which one in the comments or on Twitter!